Young Turks: Upcoming Indian players to watch out for ahead of World Cup 2019

With the World Cup just around the corner, here’s a look at some young players who could make their way into the national side.

Prithvi Shaw | The 18-year old right handed batsman captained the team which lifted the 2018 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. He already has seven first-class centuries to his name and averages 56.72 after 14 matches. Prithvi was even called up to the Test squad for India’s tour of England this year but didn’t get an opportunity to make his debut. His batting stance and impeccable technique have already drawn comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar. (Image: icc-cricket.com)

2/5

Kamlesh Nagarkoti | One of the most exciting talents that emerged from the Indian camp after the Under-19 World Cup, Kamlesh caused quite a stir as he consistently crossed the 140 km/h mark and even got the ball to swing dangerously. He was snapped up for Rs 3.2 crore by the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, making him the most-valued player from the U-19 team. Unfortunately, he couldn’t feature in the tournament due to a foot injury. The pacer barely made a recovery from that setback when a back injury flared up, forcing him to travel overseas for treatment. (Image: icc-cricket.com)

3/5

Shubman Gill | The 19-year old was the vice-captain of the World Cup winning U-19 squad and scored 372 runs in five innings at an average of 124. A technically sound batsman, Gill was also named player of the tournament and carried that form into the IPL where he was picked up by Kolkata. He impressed fans with his maturity at the crease, and extensive repertoire of shots. He has managed to pile on the runs despite the limited opportunities afforded him as he bats lower down the order. Since then, he has been turning heads while playing for Punjab and India A during unofficial Test matches against Australia. (Image: icc-cricket.com)

4/5

Shivam Mavi | Another pacer from the U-19 squad who consistently clocks upwards of 140 kmph, Shivam Mavi is known to unsettle batsmen with his sheer pace. Mavi was the second highest-bid player from the U-19 squad as the Kolkata Knight Riders paid a whopping Rs 3 crore for his services in the IPL. On September 19, Mavi became only the eighth bowler to take a hat-trick in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. (Image: icc-cricket.com)

5/5

Mayank Markande | The 20-year old spinner from Punjab set the 2018 edition of the IPL alight when he took 3 wickets on his debut, including that of M S Dhoni. After a successful IPL campaign, Markande hasn’t had as many opportunities as he would have liked. He has appeared for India A and also turned out for Punjab in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The young spinner has already showed signs of possessing the requisite skill to trouble the world's best batsmen. It is fair to assume that he will make an impact when the opportunity comes calling. (Image: PTI)